New Guinea Impatiens plant `Kipas`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named &#39;Kipas&#39;, but marketed under &#39;Pascua&#39;, characterized by its flat and rounded light purple-colored flowers; freely flowering habit; outwardly spreading, mounded and rounded growth habit; and dark green, slightly glossy, non-variegated foliage.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, which is to be internationally registered as `Kipas`. It is anticipated that the plant will be marketed under the synonym `Pascua`. Hereinafter the disclosed plant will be referred to as `Pascua`.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor in Gensingen, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new varieties that have a uniform plant habit, attractive flower colors, good flower form and numerous flowers per plant.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the inventor of a proprietary seedling selection identified as L787 as the male, or pollen parent, with the proprietary seedling selection identified as P242 as the female, or seed patent. The cultivar Pascua was discovered and selected by the inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany. Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Gensingen, Germany, has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of `Pascua`. These characteristics in combination distinguish `Pascua` as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Flat and rounded light purple-colored flowers.

2. Freely flowering habit.

3. Outwardly spreading, mounded and rounded growth habit.

4. Dark green, slightly glossy, non-variegated foliage.

The new New Guinea Impatiens is similar in flower color to the New Guinea Impatiens cultivars Aruba (disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,456) and Bora-Bora (disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,421). However in side-by-side comparisons in Encinitas, Calif., under commercial practice, plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivars `Aruba` and `Bora-Bora` in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens have larger leaves than plants of the cultivars `Aruba` `Bora-Bora`.

2. Plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are different in leaf and petiole color than plants of the cultivars `Aruba` and `Bora-Bora`.

3. Plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are more freely flowering than plants of the cultivars `Aruba` and `Bora-Bora`.

4. Flowers of plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens are rounded whereas flowers of plants of the cultivars `Aruba` and `Bora-Bora` are star-shaped.

5. Plants of the new New Guinea Impatiens have larger flowers than plants of the cultivars `Aruba` and `Bora-Bora`.

A detailed comparison of plants of the New Guinea Impatiens and the cltivars `Bora-Bora` and `Aruba` appears in Chart A at the end of the specification.

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The first photograph comprises a top perspective view of a typical plant of `Pascua`.

The second photograph comprises a close-up view of typical flowers and leaves of the varieties `Aruba` (top left of photo), `Bora-Bora` (top right of photo) and `Pascua` (bottom of photo).

The flower and foliage colors in the photographs may differ from the actual colors due to light reflectance.

The cultivar `Pascua` has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plants grown 10-cm pots i Encinitas, Calif., under commercial practice in a fiberglass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 23 to 29C and night temperatures ranging from 16 to 18C with light levels averaging 3,000 footcandles.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Classification:

Botanical.--Impatiens hawkeri.

Commercial.--New Guinea Impatiens `Kipas`, but marketed under `Pascua`.

Parentage:

Male parent.--Proprietary seedling seection L787.

Female parent.--Proprietary seedling selection P242.

Propagation:

Type cutting.--Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.--About 15 days with 21C soil temperature.

Plant description:

Plant form.--Outwardly spreading, rounded and mounding.

Growth habit.--Vigorous. Moderate branching, dense and bushy growth. Suitable for 10 to 25-cm containers.

Plant size.--Height: About 20 cm. Width or spread: About 29 cm.

Lateral branches.--Quantity: About seven. Size: Length: About 15 cm. Diameter: 7 to 11 mm. Internode length: 5 to 6 cm. Color: Darker than 59A.

Foliage description.--Leaves simple, generally symmetrical, abundant, opposite or in whorls or three, horizontal to plant and flat in aspect. Size, largest leaves: Length: 12.5 to 13 cm. Width: About 4.8 cm. Shape: Ovate with acuminate apex, attenuate base and ciliate margin. Texture: Smooth, slightly glossy. Color: Young foliage, upper surface: 147A. Young foliage, lower surface: 59A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Darker than 147A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 59B/59C. Venation, upper surface: 60A. Venation, lower surface: 59A. Petiole: Size: Length: 3.5 to 4 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Color: 60A.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.--Large light purple-colored flowers. Freely and continuously flowering. Flowers arise from leaf axils. Usually eight flowers per lateral branch. Flowers positioned at or just above the foliage and face upward or outward. Flowers flat and rounded. Flowers persistent.

Flowering season.--Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In the garden, flowering is continuous from spring until fall.

Flower size.--Length: About 7 cm. Width: About 7 cm. Depth: About 6 mm.

Flower buds.--Size: Length: About 2.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: 60A/80B.

Petals.--Quantity: Five. Size (largest petals): Length: Top Petal: About 3.2 cm. Middle petals: About 3.4 cm. Bottom petals: About 4 cm. Width: Top Petal: About 4.8 cm. Middle petals: About 3.6 cm. Bottom petals: About 4 cm. Sape: Cordate with emarginate apex, cuneate or obtuse base and entire margin. Texture: Velvety, smooth. Color: When opening, upper surface: Iridescent, 80B. When opening, lower surface: Iridescent, 80C. Fully opened, upper surface: Iridescent, slightly lighter than 80C with 66B at base. Fully opened, lower surface: Iridescent, 80C. Fading to: 80B/80C.

Spur.--Length: About 5.5 cm. Shape: Narrow and curved. Color: Proximal: 60B. Distal tip: 144A.

Peduncles.--Length: About 4.5 cm. Angle: Erect to slightly outward. Strength: Strong. Color: 144B with 60B stripes.

Reproductive ograns.--Androecium: Stamen number: Five, anthers fused, filaments free. Anther shape: Obovate. Anther size: 6 by 4mm. Anther color: Cream. Amount of pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: Creamy white. Gynoecium: Five-loculate fused. Stigma color: White. Gynoecium length: About 6 mm. Gynoecium color: 59A.

Disease resistance: Under commercial conditions, resistance nor susceptibility to pathogens has not been observed.

Seed development: Seed production is not usually observed.

                  CHART A                                                          ______________________________________                                         CHAR-                                                                          ACTERISTIC `PASCUA`   `ARUBA`    `BORA-BORA`                                   ______________________________________                                         LEAF LENGTH                                                                               12.5 to 13 cm                                                                             9 to 10.5 cm                                                                              About 9.5 cm                                  LEAF WIDTH About 4.8 cm                                                                              3.5 to 4 cm                                                                               3.5 to 4 cm                                   LEAF COLOR,                                                                               147A       147A       Darker than                                   YOUNG,                           146A                                          UPPER SURFACE                                                                  LEAF COLOR,                                                                               59A        Darker than                                                                               146B                                          YOUNG,                59A                                                      LOWER SURFACE                                                                  LEAF COLOR,                                                                               Darker than                                                                               147A with dark                                                                            147A                                          FULLY      147A       red tones                                                EXPANDED,                                                                      UPPER SURFACE                                                                  LEAF COLOR,                                                                               59B/59C    185B       146B                                          FULLY                                                                          EXPANDED,                                                                      LOWER SURFACE                                                                  VENATION   60A        59A        63B                                           COLOR,                                                                         UPPER SURFACE                                                                  VENATION   59A        60A        63A                                           COLOR,                                                                         LOWER SURFACE                                                                  PETIOLE LENGTH                                                                            3.5 to 4 cm                                                                               About 3 cm 2.5 to 3 cm                                   PETIOLE COLOR                                                                             60A        59B        63A                                           QUANTITY OF                                                                               About 8    About 5    About 5                                       FLOWERS PER                                                                    LATERAL STEM                                                                   FLOWER SHAPE                                                                              Rounded    Star-shaped                                                                               Star-shaped                                   FLOWER LENGTH                                                                             About 7 cm About 5.7 cm                                                                              About 6 cm                                    FLOWER WIDTH                                                                              About 7 cm About 5.2 cm                                                                              About 6 cm                                    PETAL COLOR,                                                                              80B        Redder than                                                                               80A                                           WHEN OPENING,         80A, bluer than                                          UPPER SURFACE         74B                                                      PETAL COLOR,                                                                              80C        74B        80C                                           WHEN OPENING,                                                                  LOWER SURFACE                                                                  PETAL COLOR,                                                                              Lighter than                                                                              80A with 74B                                                                              80A with                                      OPENED, UPPER                                                                             80B with 66B                                                                              base       lavender/white                                SURFACE    base                  base                                          PETAL COLOR,                                                                              80C        80B        80C                                           OPENED, LOWER                                                                  SURFACE                                                                        PETAL COLOR,                                                                              80B/80C    80C        80C                                           FADING TO                                                                      SPUR COLOR 60B        60A        60A                                           ______________________________________                                     

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, as illustrated and described. 